Red tape, belts n braces and all that. It's a real ned ache isn't it? I watched you do that card and also Alex's face. She was enthralled with it all wasn't she? It is a lovely, elegant piece of artwork to show that parchment craft and stamping can compliment each other. Thank you Barbara x

I really love the colours on this card. I hate dealing with banks etc as they always make it it so awkward unless you have six forms of ID and can understand all their incomprehensible forms! Hope that you get through it all without too much stress.

I hate all sorts of financial stuff Barbara, I dread to think what yours has been like - and still is by the sound of it! I LOVE this card and I SO enjoyed watching your show (on catch-up), Alex is fantastic and SO enthusiastic too! All of the paper packs are amazing! Hugs Gilly xx

At our bank you don't even get to speak to a cashier behind a counter it's all machines. I hate it , it takes twice as long and so impersonal.On a happier note I really like the new papers and groovi plates.

Oh, I don't envy you that legal/bank stuff Barbara. Have you tried trying to open an account when you don't have driver's license, passport, any other photo ID, and your utility companies insist on paperless statements! And that's after the trawl through them all looking for a safe one, deciphering the terms and conditions, one that allows you to do everything online, with no phoning involved! And if you get through all that, your reward is next to nothing in interest rate! And that's for just a bog standard account, dread to think how much more complex it is when it's business and much much bigger amounts.

Anyway, beautiful card, very elegant. This demo I did get to see, folk must have been having their tea, less demand on the Hochanda website, for that show. I have the lady stamp and fusible fibres, and plenty scrapbook papers, all unused, all begging for me to have a play with!!! First I need to finish my hand sewing projects though. Managed to make a wee hole in my finger with the eye end of the needle pressing into it!!! So I'm off to search for my thimbles, that migrated to my Groovi stash, my Groovi stash that got relocated in my reorganisation, that I'm now not sure where it ended up in the end, things being moved round so many times!!!

I was watching a BBC documentary on ancient Orkney this afternoon, very interesting, bonus being I love the Orcadian accent 😉, the best in the world in my opinion. Anyway, got to thinking, I bet each of us here are direct descendants from the person in the clan/community who decided to decorate their dwellings. Don't you think? I can picture us all squirreling away the dud discarded flints from the men folk, and the ashes from the fire, waiting until everyone was out doing their tasks for the day, so we could have a play and get all artistic on the walls!!!!

Thank you for still blogging. And hope you get the legal stuff over with soon, and with no problems.

You are so right about the interest rates, Brenda. I have just closed one of my ISAs as the current rate of interest is less that the rise in the cost of living, meaning my money and everyone else's is getting less in the bank than it would stuck under the mattress. That is how it feels anyway. So it will go towards paying the bills on my car, funding my Clarity addiction and possibly allowing me to go down to Cornwall for a few days of sitting by the sea.

I never did get to grips with using thimbles so I just end up with sore fingers.xxx Maggie

Thank you. I prefer the sore fingers too Maggie!!! But the needle had gone through the skin and it kept going back to that exact spot, so thought I should be sensible!!! Yes I found the thimble Diane, with the scissors, and I knew where they were, logic see. The trouble is part of my Groovi stash doesn't fit into my logic system, so that's the bit I need to find and remind myself where it ended up!!! I didn't get on with using thimbles for the picot cutting either. I discovered using a wee lightweight foam mat I have to support the parchment works for me, and keeps my fingers out the way too!!! Aye, I know what you mean Maggie, the Government want us all to save for our old age, and not to get into debt, but where's the incentive when whatever you save devalues more and more each year, and the interest rate for borrowing is so low! Makes no sense. But then what do they posh Tories know about what it's like to be us commoners these days eh, with their £1000 trousers and handbags!!!! No so bad up here, most of our politicians, including our first minister, come from normal backgrounds, and don't forget their routes, so they understand better. Glad you're going to spend some on a few days at the seaside, I know you like to do that.

Feel your pain! It's as if they don't want your money any more, you have to jump through hoops to give it to them ! LOL!! Never mind,you;ll get there eventyally. I saw you do this one on the telly, still have it all recorded to watch again. Very elegant. Xx

I loved this card when you did it on Hochanda last Sunday. The fibres look amazing but need to wait this month before purchasing them. I have been with my (Singapore ) bank ..... can you guess which bank it is, since my marriage in 1996 so around 20 years.I was the victim of Internet fraud three years ago at Xmas time. Well .... as they keep closing their smaller branches everywhere .... I would drive 20 minutes to the next nearest. You need to see them in city centre, I'll make an appointment for you. What a rush to get there before charges would be applied to account that shouldn't be there and the refund be applied. I could talk for the WHOLE EVENING on the events the put me through over the next two years. Credits, debits , more debits to amend account. Bus rides to city centre to avoid more car park fines because two to three hours with help desk personnel who were messed around by other staff who flipped the mistakes they made over to other staff time and time again, all the while so very worrying and upsetting for me. Hope you NEVER GET CHEATED BY LIARS AND THIEVES on the Internet as the bank makes promises to support and put right these injustices, when in fact they haven't got a clue what their doing, so they guess and FOB you off over and over until I PROVE TO THEM, THE ERROR OF THEIR WAYS. Hope yours is NOTHING LIKE THIS so I'LL SHUT UP NOW Blood pressure ring as I think about it xxxxx

Hello Barb,I saw you make this card, and I have the stamps but I have never used the fibres. You've done this technique so many times, make it look so easy, but I've still never succumbed, still tomorrow is another day, as they say.We changed our bank last year after being with the Midland, then HSBC when they took it over, for 56 years. I was fed up with lack of customer consideration, branch closures and just about zero rates. Everything is so high tech now, so after getting my knickers in a twist I went into the branch of the new bank, a lovely lady did everything for me, and now I do my internet banking like a pro!!! I can't believe I stuck with my old bank for so long, Chin up, as someone who should be forgotten once said "Things can only get better".Maureen xxx

I think not just banking but lots of other everyday administrative tasks have become complicated and time consuming Barbara, so hope that all this will soon be sorted out for you to get into doing all the more exciting and interesting things attached to owning a new business. I saw you do this pretty lady with the angelina fibres and just love the colours and the beautiful background paper and the coplementary words top and bottom on the parchment. Fabulous! x

To begin with, what bank branches? I think all the banks have now closed all the the main town branches, which means hefty car parking charges and lots more hassle. Anyway, let's get rid on the negative thoughts, breath and enjoy the beautiful crafting you show us. I love that Sketchy lady and she suits Paris so well. it reminds me of when I went to Paris as part of a three week trip to a Lycée just outside the city. They took us to a posh fashion show at House of Worth somewhere near the Champs Elysée and the Sketchy Lady would have fitted in there perfectly. Your lovely card took me right back there, and now I am thinking of all those delicious chocolate eclairs and other gorgeous treats. That and the trip to Versailles were the only two occasions that my friends and I did with the rest of the group. Because we had been to Paris a couple of times before, we knew where we wanted to go, and used to hang back at the back of the party and then "get lost", so we could go to the places we wanted to see. After the first week, the teachers gave up trying to keep us with the others as we always turned up in time for the evening meal. Now I am thinking about those huge cups of hot milky coffee. That's it! I am off to get a mug of hot milky coffee right now. Looking forward to getting those beautiful papers. You have also given me the idea to scan and print some of the lovely "mop up sheets" in my stash. I had not thought of that before. Thank you for your inspiration and good luck with all those forms and bank hassles. xxx Maggie

Hi BarbaraI hope you managed to get through the marathon bank session, our new house phoned gave a battery life of about half an hour which is rubbish for important phonecalls. I gad to keep the phone in the base and go hands free to phone the fax office, only way I could keep the phone alive!! Loved this card when you did the demo on Sunday, traditional Barbara with gorgeous stamps and angelina fibres, Alex is such a delightful presenter, her enthusiasm is so infectious. Have a lovely evening.Love Diane xx

I did enjoy the demo on Hochanda. Lovely effects with the fibres. It is so complicated now trying to open an account. I suppose they have to be careful. I am trying to shut down my Facebook account . I was hacked after I joined Groovi Worldwide.

Change your password and change access to your friends to just you. The other thing to do is to download Eset Mobile which will give your account good protection. Most apparent hacking is caused by downloading games which may bring unsafe tracking files with them. xxx Maggie

Love the lady and the shoe, some of the first stamps I ever bought from Claritystamp more years ago than I care to count!! Just shows how timeless these stamps are, just as fresh today as some 25 years ago. I commented yesterday about those gorgeous papers, but I'll say it again, these papers are awesome! Such a striking modern style, quite unlike any others on the market at the moment. I can't wait to get them in my shopping basket.

Morning Barbara, I watched you demo this card, it is fabulous and combines lots of different techniques, I love it !!I hope you don't get too much of a headache ploughing through all the paperwork.Lots of love from Patricia xx

Morning Barbara love this card the background paper and how you finished it off with a wee bit groovi just gave it an extra touch off Clarity class.Hopefully you have sorted all the banking stuff out guess I wasn't far wrong yesterday saying it would be busy time at Clarity Towers.Take care and remember to read all the {wee print}.Love Dot...xx

I love this card Barbara. I have the fibres and film from years ago when you used them on the Femine Corset. I was hooked then. I've just sat and rewatched Sunday's demo of it and will give it a try. I just need to order the stamp set. Each time I put the phone down from the lovely Louise or Jeannine I remember something else I need. I hope you got all your banking and paperwork sorted out without too many problems.xx

I too remember the corset demo Susan Firth, and I showed it to some friends once on a scrapbooking/crafting weekend, and it was like I had performed some sort of magic! Such a beautiful elegant card too. Good luck with all the small print, x